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HUMAN CLONING -- HON. MARK E. SOUDER (Extensions of Remarks - June 20,
2002)
[Page: E1118] GPO's PDF
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HON. MARK E. SOUDER
OF INDIANA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, June 20, 2002
- Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, scientists stunned the world five years ago when
they announced the creation of the world's first clone, a sheep named Dolly.
In the short time since, cattle, goats, mice, rabbits and a cat have also been
cloned. And efforts are now underway in the United States and elsewhere to
create cloned human beings.
- The President, the public, religious leaders, and many scientists have all
expressed their disapproval for efforts to conduct human cloning , for any reason. And the
House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation last year to
prohibit all human cloning .
- Opposition to human cloning is based upon both ethical and
scientific considerations. All clones have been found to suffer from severe
abnormalities, premature aging and early death. In addition to these problems,
cloning also poses significant
health risks to the mother of a clone and to the women from whom the eggs
necessary for cloning are
harvested.
- These dangers have not, however, deterred some from attempting to produce
cloned humans.
- Scientists--such as Dr. Panos Zavos, who recently testified before the
Criminal Justice Subcommittee which I chair--are pursuing cloning as a means of producing live
human offspring while others
seek to create cloned human
embryos in order to destroy them for scientific research with the hopes that
such research may potentially yield treatments or cures.
- Regardless of the goals of those who are attempting to manufacture human clones, the fact is that cloning , for whatever purpose,
creates human life.
- There is no difference between a cloned human embryo created for procreation
or for research purposes. Whether or not the newly created embryo is implanted
with the intent of reproduction or destroyed for the purpose of research is
irrelevant to the fact that a cloned human embryo has been created.
Therefore, a prohibition on cloning that is limited only to
preventing the implantation of a cloned embryo as some have suggested in
effect legalizes human cloning , and raises additional
ethical dilemmas.
- A ban that permits embryonic clones to be created but forbids them to be
implanted in utero legally requires the destruction of human life and criminalizes efforts to
preserve and protect such life once created.
- Under a partial ban that permits the creation of cloned embryos for
research, human embryos would be
manufactured in numerous laboratories around the country. Once cloned embryos
are available, it would be virtually impossible to monitor or control what is
done with them.
- Stockpiles of embryonic human clones could be produced, bought
and sold. Implantation of cloned embryos--an easy procedure--could take place
out of sight, and not even the most elaborate and intrusive regulations and
policing could detect or prevent the initiation of a clonal pregnancy.
- Scientists agree that once begun, a clonal pregnancy would be virtually
impossible to detect or differentiate from a routine pregnancy. And if
detected, what could the government do? Would a woman with a clonal pregnancy
be forced, or coerced with severe penalties, to abort the child?
- Allowing human cloning for research brings us further
down the slippery slope that devalues the sanctity of human life.
- Not even a year ago, supporters of embryonic stem cell research--which
requires the destruction of a living human embryo--found ``extremely
troubling'' the announcement that embryos were being created in order to
conduct stem cell research. There was a consensus among opponents and
supporters of embryonic stem cell research that embryos should never be
created solely and specifically for research. But now that is exactly what
proponents of research cloning
are demanding.
- If we now permit the manufacturing of human embryos for research, where do
we draw the line? Do we only allow cloned embryos to grow for 5 days before
they are destroyed in the process of extracting their stem cells? What about
removing tissue from 5-week-old embryos? Should we consider harvesting the
organs from 5-month-old fetuses? What will those who support destructive
research next claim is necessary in the name of research?
- We must finally draw the line that stops the exploitation of any form of
human life.
- Cloning , regardless of the
intent, reduces human life to a
commodity that is created and destroyed for convenience. And despite the
claims to the contrary, there is no evidence that cloning can, or ever will, cure
diseases. Such statements are purely speculative and pursuing cloning merely diverts limited
resources away from more promising research that is already producing
promising results.
- It is clear that a ban that applies only to ``reproductive'' cloning is a false ban, which
[Page: E1119] GPO's PDF
merely
creates an illusion that human
cloning has been prohibited. The
fact is that all cloning is
reproductive cloning , and
therefore human cloning for any reason should be
banned.